Why Fertilize Your Lawn In Fall The Best Fall Month And Time Of Day To Fertilize
Summer heat is stressful on our lawns. Falls cooler temperatures provide the perfect setting for lawn to regain strength.
Fall is the best and most important time to fertilize your lawn because:
- Falls morning dew delivers moisture to help turf absorb the fertilizer.
- The grass has a chance to build stamina before a chilly winter.
- Supporting root growth in fall leads to a healthier, greener lawn in spring.
While fall is naturally good for feeding our lawn, you can deliver an extra oomph by fertilizing as best as you can, too.
Get Your Late Summer Lawn Care Needs Covered With Aatb
Now that you know when to aerate lawn and overseed in Iowa, schedule your lawn care for late summer, which is the time for several other important lawn care chores too. Trust All American Turf Beauty to expertly shoulder all your late summer lawn care responsibilities so that your lawn thrives in the spring next year and year-round.
Let our lawn care specialists recommend the best time to aerate and overseed your lawn as well as determine the right treatments for your lawn and implement them successfully. Request a consultation with one of our lawn care professionals today!
To Figure How Much Nitrogen Fertilizer To Apply To Lawns:
- Divide rate of nitrogen desired by percent nitrogen in bag
- Multiply answer found by square footage of lawn and divide by 1,000
EXAMPLE: 15-5-10 fertilizer, 7,000 sq ft, want to apply 1 lb. nitrogen/1,000 sq ft
- 1 pound divided by .15 = 6.66, round to 6.7
- 6.7 multiplied by 7,000 = 46,900 divided by 1,000 = 46.9, or 47 pounds
Therefore, need about 47 pounds of 15-5-10 fertilizer to cover entire lawn
After calculating how much to apply, when to apply is the other important decision. Early fall is a key time for fertilizing lawns in northern Illinois. The schedule below outlines when to apply based on how many applications are to be made annually and desired lawn quality. Use controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers in May and September and a fast-release source in late fall. Consider Mother’s Day, Labor Day and Halloween as reminders or favorable times to fertilize lawns in nothern Illinois.
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Can You Fertilize Your Lawn Too Much
Its very easy to fertilize your lawn too much. Fertilizing your lawn with too much fertilizer in one application or not allowing enough time between applications, leads to three problems.
As long as you follow the instructions found on the packaging of the fertilizer, the three problems above can be easily avoided.
How Long Should I Continue To Mow The Lawn
Continue to mow the lawn until the grass stops growing in fall. The foliage of Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season grasses usually stops growing in late October or early November in Iowa. Mow Kentucky bluegrass lawns at a height of 2½ to 3 inches in fall. When mowing the lawn, never remove more than one-third of the total leaf area at any one time. Accordingly, a lawn being mowed at a height of 3 inches should be cut when it reaches a height of 4½ inches.
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Can I Apply Crabgrass Preventer In The Rain
The best time to apply crabgrass preventer is before the rain . After it rains , the preventer will have been washed into the soil and crabgrass seeds to stop them from developing roots and germinating. If you apply after rain , water your lawn immediately after to wash the pre-emergent into the soil.
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What Is The Best Grass Seed For Iowa
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In Iowa, the best time to overseed a lawn is late summer/early fall . Soil temperatures at this time of year are still warm, which promotes optimum seed germination, and the cooler air temperatures are better for grass growth.
is it too late to plant grass seed in Iowa? The best time to seed a lawn in Iowa is between mid- August and mid/late September. However, lawns can be successfully established as late as late-September in central Iowa and early October in southern Iowa. Late summer planting is preferred to spring seeding because seeds germinate and grow rapidly in the warm soil.
Also asked, what kind of grass grows in Iowa?
Cool-season grasses are primarily planted in Iowa and grow best in the spring and fall. The four cool-season grasses mainly used are Kentucky blue- grass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues. In Iowa, Kentucky bluegrass is the best-adapted grass for lawn use.
What is the best Kentucky bluegrass seed?
- Best Kentucky Bluegrass Seeds.
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To Provide You With The Highest Quality Products And Methods Available
We offer every kind of service that it takes to develop and maintain a beautiful lawn in Iowa based on the climate, soil types, and the varieties of grass that are commonly grown here.
One of the keys to the success of the program is that we provide treatment to lawns approximately every 8 weeks throughout the growing season. This ensures that the grass has fertilizer available throughout the growing season. Dandelions and other Broadleaf weeds are controlled as they germinate thus enabling a weed free lawn, and our Turf Specialist is at the property four to six times per season to address problems as and when they arise.
Another key to our service is our people. The most important person to you in our company is the Turf Specialist assigned to treat your lawn.
We are proud to say that our Turf Specialists are the best trained and most experienced in the lawn care industry.
When you become a customer at All American Turf Beauty, a Turf Specialist is assigned to your account. You will have the same person treating your lawn each time. It is their responsibility to service your lawn, make sure it is receiving the correct applications as scheduled, and to provide you with the best personalized service possible. Their jobs depend on it.
We have several programs to choose from. Your Turf Specialist will recommend the best program that fits the needs of your lawn and your budget.
Late Summer To Late Fall
Between August and November, grass slows down and prepares for the winter months. At the same time, broadleaf weeds start active growth again. With Pennington UltraGreen Winterizer Plus Weed & Feed Fertilizer 22-0-14, you can feed your northern or southern lawn nutrients essential to its winter prep and spring green-up and kill broadleaf weeds. As a general rule, allow six to eight weeks between fertilizing and your first expected frost.
As with all fertilizer products, check the label and follow instructions for your specific grass type. If you’re overseeding, wait until next year for weed & feed. Instead, turn to Pennington UltraGreen Lawn Fertilizer 30-0-4 for the year’s final feeding.
Always sweep excess fertilizer off sidewalks and patios to avoid runoff.
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When To Put Fertilizer On Lawns
All lawns need fertilizer in early spring when the grass begins to green up. Your fertilization schedule for the rest of the season depends on the type of grass in your lawn, the type of fertilizer you use, and your climate. Most lawn seed is a mixture of several different types of grasses, and both spring and fall fertilization are appropriate.
The label on a bag of lawn fertilizer will recommend a schedule based on the type of fertilizer it contains. The label is your best guide to how often to apply the product and how much to use. As long as you dont overdo it and avoid fertilizing in the hottest part of summer, your lawn should thrive.
How Often Should I Fertilize A New Lawn
Dont fertilize a new lawn until the grass is actively growing and you have mowed the lawn at least three times. Then use a fertilizer that will promote strong roots without a surge in grass growth while keeping the lawn weeds at bay.
For U.S. based gardeners, fertilize your lawn with Scotts Turf Builder Starter Food for New Grass Plus Weed Preventer .
U.K. gardeners should use a lawn fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro EverGreen Premium Plus Weed Control Lawn .
These fertilizers will slowly release nutrients into the lawn. You will only need to apply these once every 12 weeks while the lawn becomes established.
Its also worth mentioning that if you apply a crabgrass preemergent fertilizer or a regular weed and feed, ensure that you have waited four weeks before sowing your new grass seed.
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Lawn Aeration In Iowa: When To Aerate Lawns And More
In Iowa, April and September are the best times for aerating Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season grasses. Although the overall results of core aeration are beneficial, it leads to some damage initially. Aerating lawns in April or September facilitates quick recovery of the grass in the favorable growing conditions of spring and early fall.
About Overseeding A Lawn
Even if your lawn is in poor condition, it is possible to achieve a healthy, dark green expanse of perfect lawn by overseeding, or introducing some fresh seed into the sparse or thinning areas.
In Iowa, the best time to overseed a lawn is late summer/early fall . Soil temperatures at this time of year are still warm, which promotes optimum seed germination, and the cooler air temperatures are better for grass growth.
If you dont want to wait until late summer or early fall to overseed your lawn, you can do it between March and mid-June as well. When you choose Black Beauty turfgrasses that are so deeply rooted and drought tolerant, you can still enjoy great success.
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Seasonal Lawn Care Schedule For The Northeast: Your Calendar For Cool
Here is a more seasonal do-it-yourself cool season lawn care schedule for the northeast and states like Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
1. Lawn Fertilizer Schedule
When should I fertilize a cool-season lawn? is a common question, but the fertilization of cool-season grasses doesnt have to be complicated. You should fertilize two to four times per year, based on soil testing. The best months are March or May and September or November.
Fertilizing your lawn is key to making sure it has the nutrients it needs to prosper and thrive. That is why its important to use a soil analysis kit. Finding that balance between too much and too little fertilization takes some thought. When thinking about a fertilization schedule for cool season grasses dont be afraid to fertilize your lawn as many as four times a year, including late and early spring, once in the summer and once in the fall. These treatments will help your lawn be both healthy and resilient.
Pro tip: When you fertilize in the spring, you can use a weed-and-feed fertilizer that contains both a fertilizer and a pre-emergent.
2. Watering
If it rains more than one inch a week during any week, you do not need to water your lawn.
Remember, water in the morning so you wont scorch the grass. Another reason to water in the morning is that the grass will be dry by the time afternoon or evening humidity sets in.
3. Mowing
4. Aeration
5. Dethatching
6. Pre-Emergent Weed Control
7. Post-Emergent Weed Control
What Is The Proper Way To Water A Lawn
Most lawns in Iowa require approximately 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. When watering the lawn, apply this amount in a single application or possibly two applications three or four days apart. Avoid frequent, light applications of water, which promote shallow rooting and lush growth. Lush, shallow-rooted turfgrass is less drought tolerant. It also is more susceptible to pest problems. To determine the amount of water applied by a sprinkler, place two or three rain gauges within the spray pattern.
Early morning is the best time to water a lawn. A morning application allows the water to soak deeply into the soil with little water lost to evaporation. When watering is completed, the turfgrass foliage dries quickly. Watering at mid-day is less efficient because of rapid evaporation, and strong winds may cause uneven water distribution. Strong, mid-day winds also may carry water onto driveways, sidewalks or streets, wasting considerable amounts of water. Watering lawns in late afternoon or evening may increase disease problems.
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How Does Osmocote Plant Food Work
Osmocote® Plant Food consists of a homogeneous nutrient prill coated with a semi-permeable resin derived from linseed oil.
The coating utilizes the natural principle of osmosis. Moisture in the soil penetrates the coating and dissolves the nutrients in the prill.
Nutrients are released at the same rate the plants root system takes-up nutrients from the soil, neither under or over-feeding the plant.
Feeding The Lawn In The Summer And Fall
Warm-season grasses thrive in the heat of the summer and can be fertilized throughout the growing season. However, cool-season grasses are in a survival mode during the heat of the summer. Refrain from applying fertilizer to a lawn in mid- or late-summer if you live in a climate where cool-season grasses are in your lawn seed mix. A cool-season lawn should need nothing other than water and pest management until September.
Most lawn experts recommend a mild dose of a “turf-builder” fertilizer formulation in the early- to mid-fall, while the turf still has several weeks of active growth before dormancy. This application will help build robust root systems going into winter and restart the growing cycle in the spring. You are not looking to return your lawn to the green of summer. Heading into winter, you can expect a natural slowdown of your lawn’s growth and the loss of its green luster.
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When To Apply Popular Uk Fertilizers
Below is a table detailing how often to apply popular U.K. lawn fertilizers such as Miracle-Gro Evergreen and Westland. Please note that some of the fertilizers below contain weedkiller. These can be applied to any type of grass.
Please note that the table below includes Amazon Affiliate links.
*NPK = Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
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Determining The Best Times To Fertilize
Homeowners who prefer organic fertilizing methods might do a single “turf-builder” application in the early fall to build root systems. In the spring and summer, most may omit all fertilizers and rely on the nitrogen from mulched grass clippings to feed their lawn.
Homeowners using traditional fertilizer might want to apply two or three light applications per growing yearone in the spring, one at midsummer in regions where it is necessary, and one “turf-builder” application in the early fall.
The actual timing depends on your region and the type of turf grasses you have. For information on the best recommendations for your area, contact an expert at a local garden center or reach out to the nearest cooperative extension office.
Once you have figured out the best time, try to plan the fertilizer application with a short period of rainfall. If not, when you apply the fertilizer, you will need to supply your lawn with at least a quarter-inch of water. However, do not apply fertilizer before a massive storm. A rainstorm increases the risk of fertilizer nutrients flowing into storm drains and streams.
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Clean The Spreader And Water The Lawn
- After youve covered the lawn, check for any fertilizer that may have scattered onto your driveway, sidewalk or walkway. Use a broom and dust pan to clean these areas. Fertilizers contain minerals that can stain concrete. You can sprinkle any small amounts of leftover fertilizer back onto the lawn after you have scooped it up.
- Put the lawn spreader on the lawn and rinse it off with a garden hose. This allows you to make use of fertilizer thats stuck in and around the spreader. Clean the hopper plate and wheels thoroughly. Allow the lawn spreader to dry before storing it.
- Water the lawn thoroughly with a lawn sprinkler. This will mix the nutrients from the fertilizer into the soil.
When Should I Apply Crabgrass Preventer In Iowa
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Time of YearCrabgrass preventer should be applied when soil temperatures reach 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If you apply the herbicide too early in the spring, it may break down before the end of the germination cycle.
One may also ask, when should I fertilize my lawn in Iowa? The best times to fertilize cool-season grasses in Iowa are spring, mid-September and late October/early November. When fertilizing the lawn, do not apply more than one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet in one application.
Moreover, when should I apply Scotts Crabgrass Preventer?
For established lawns, early spring is the right time to apply Scotts crabgrass preventer. But if you just seeded your lawn or you are planning to seed, adjust the application time to ensure the herbicide doesn’t stop your grass seed from taking root, since the product will stop different kinds of seeds from growing.
Can you apply crabgrass preventer on wet grass?
When applied on wet grass, crabgrass preemergent will most likely stick on the leaves. Some products such as Crabgrass Barrier recommend applying it on wet grass. However, you may need to water your lawn soon after putting down the herbicide.
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